Best And Worst Brands On Social Media

Some Brands Are Killing It On Twitter - Then There's Denny's With Its Flying Laser Breakfasts

Social media is a necessity in the world of commerce and content. It’s an ever-changing, endlessly expanding beast that will conquer you if you don’t conquer it first. There’s a level of pressure attached to managing your own Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram — but that stress runs tenfold when your audience runs into the hundreds of thousands.

That being said, there’s a right and wrong way to exhibit your social presence and a de facto set of rules that are both adhered to and broken by companies on the daily. When it comes down to it, some companies can do it, some can’t. Here are the brands you should be following because of their awesome social media presence — and the brands you should be following because their social media presence is so bad it'll make you LMAO all over the place:

Wrong:Fleshlight caused quite a stir when they posted out “Today is 13th anniversary of 9/11. We remember those lost, & honor those still fighting for freedom. #911NeverForget” on Twitter. The tweet was viewed, not as the tribute it was intended to be, but rather a cheap way that a sex-toy company tried to cash in on a horrific day. Plus, at the end of the day, people don’t really expect a company that makes faux-vaginas to be especially vocal.

A photo posted by National Geographic (@natgeo) on Feb 4, 2015 at 4:17am PST

Right:National Geographic has delivered the most stunning photographs of the farthest corners of the world since the launch of their magazine in 1888 and have created a microcosm of their brand via Instagram. Their photos are wild and wonderful and often come accompanied with the story behind the shot.

Wrong:Pinnacle Vodka seems to think that breathing life into a product means nothing more than glamour shots. Rarely do they show the the people who buy their brand and cut off all human elements attached to their vodka. From what we know about their Instagram, Pinnacle has a lot of flavors held by a lot of dismembered hands.

Right: Playboy is one of few print magazines who’ve made the jump to digital media with style and tact. Regardless of the fact that the brand itself is over 70 years old, they’ve managed to post relevant content and news stories on Facebook and have developed a SFW site on Kinja. Even their Instagram surpasses expectations by offering behind-the-scenes lifestyle shots rather than just scantily clad women.

Wrong: Regardless of the fact that UrbanDaddy is the go-to site for tips on nightlife and cocktail bars, their Facebook game is weak. With a posting schedule that doesn’t seem to be on any kind of schedule coupled with a lack of copy, their posts are typically glazed over and barely ever shared or liked.

Right:WatchAnish has never wavered from the mission statement of posting the coolest things money can buy. Along with their main focus of watches, they present — on a golden platter — a lifestyle that is absolutely drool-worthy.

Wrong: You can’t bullshit a bullsh*tter, and when you post on a public forum like the internet — which is full of bullshitters — you’re going to get called out. Snarky, absurdist humor is in these days, and brands like Snuggie try to replicate it, but, when it comes down to it, just aren’t that funny. Tweets that attempt comedy often end up too absurd to decipher. For example:

Zebras communicate w/ facial expressions and sounds much like you do when you’re too comfy to speak in a Snuggie! http://t.co/iNNS6JgRdp

Right: Heineken’s Facebook just nails it over and over. Classy, glamour shots of their booze, quick clever copy, contests, and a spot with Neil Patrick Harris, who can do no wrong in the world [Ed.'s Note: This was written before the Oscars happened].

It is straight-up someone's job to make a sandwich shop seem more likeable. People used to be blacksmiths. pic.twitter.com/4vrwhZ3nC4

Wrong: The above tweet, by brand Twitter watchdog @BrandsSayingBae, might be one of the most damning tweets of our age. Jimmy John’s goes hard on user engagement; 90% of their tweets being @ replies, any shot they had at having an actual voice is lost in a sea of confusion.

Right: It may seem easy for porn pioneers, PornHub, to promote a product that everyone watches (whether you want to admit it or not) but they go the extra mile by adding in social commentary and a sense of humor that doesn’t cross the line into absurdism. They recently held a contest where users designed ads and are always down to offer feuding celebrities a sex-tape deal.

valentines day alentines day lentines day entines day ntines day tines day ines day nes day es day s day day ayy ayyyyy pancakes

Wrong: I'm almost positive that IHOP’s entire social media team is comprised of teenagers and Jaden Smith. These guys are so amped up on portraying their company as “in on the joke” that their important tweets about, you know, pancake-related deals and coupons become completely lost in a sea of gags. We want pancakes, but we want cheap pancakes — make that happen.

Right: Taco Bell has had their sh*t together from the start. With a very early presence on Snapchat, combined with a social media presence that represents an audience of typically stoned Generation Z kids, they’ve managed to find a way to intricately weave product integration with silly snaps and tweets. By announcing their A.M. menu via a series of snaps, they created demand for the supply of syrup-soaked tacos. And speaking of soaking stuff...

Wrong: Pizza Hut is kind of like the newly-single wannabe-hip dad who endlessly repeats the jokes he’s heard his adult kids say five years ago. They miss the boat on trends and sayings, but still go for it anyway — but you’ve got to admire their gusto for still thinking “fo’ shizzle” is in. Spoiler alert: it’s not.

Honestly Not Sure Whether Wrong Or Right Anymore:Denny’s is the puppetmaster pulling the strings on Weird Brand Twitter. Other brands' social media account managers stare longingly at the Denny's feed and recognize them for what they are — masters of the form. The popularity of Denny's Twitter has led to a raft of imitators, but none of them have the courage to be as unhinged and only very tangentially related to their products as the Denny's account.

what a fun game. shouts to all the real MVPs though, the brands. good job, brands. nice tweeting.